Cabinet-file



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1. J. MUHLHAUSER. CABINET FILE.

Patented Jail. '7, 1890.

WIN/885 @M/ ATTORNEYS.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. MUHLHAUSER. CABINET FILE.

No. 418,957. Patented Jan. 7,1890.

IflII/IIIIIIIIII/III) 6 Q IN V E IV TOR I Z W, Z If I By M ATTORNEYS.

Wv PETERS. whowmho m hnr. Wahinglon. u. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN MUHLHAUSER, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

CABINET-FILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 418,957, dated January7, 1890.

Application filed April 6, 1889. Serial No. 306,157- (No model.)

To (@ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN MiiHLHAtisER, of Rochester, in the county ofMonroe and State of New York, have invented a new and ImprovedOabinet-File, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to music-racks or portfolios serving asreceptacles for sheets of music or drawings or other papers andperiodicals filed away for reference or use.

The invention has for its object to provide a receptacle by means ofwhich sheet-music or other sheets, papers, or periodicals may becompactly assorted and held in filed position, and access may be readilyhad to any portion of the papers for the purpose of removal andinspection without disturbing the rest of the papers.

The invention consists in a cabinet-file and in details thereof,construct-ed and arranged as hereinafter described and claimed.

This invention embraces in its general features a frame or casing, anumber of compressing horizontal, vertically-movable, and tilting rigidpanels loosely mounted in the frame and having automatic stops forlimiting the endwise movement of sheets of music or other papers laidbetween the panels, means for connecting the rigid panels at their innerends to the frame and permitting them to be raised and loweredhorizontally and tilted, and a movable support for holding any number ofthe panels intilted position.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar figures of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention, showing the top panelheld in tilted position. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section ofthe invention. Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the outer end of a pairof panels in longitudinal section and broken away. Fig.

4: is a horizontal section of the inner end of her end of the frame,showing modifications of one of the supports for the panels; and Fig. 9is a detail view, partly in horizontal section and broken away, of theinner end of the frame, showing another modification of one of thesupports for the panels.

1 indicates a frame or casing, which may 'be constructed of any size andshape and of any suitable material, and, as here,,shown, preferablyformed with a base 2, a vertical back 3 at the rear end of the base, aside 4, extending from the back 3 nearly to the front end of the base,and a side 5, extending a short way from the back 3 toward the front endof the base and leaving practically an open side to the frame.

The base 2, back 3, and sides 4 5 may be permanently secured together,but are preferably so connected that they may be detached from eachother and compactly folded up for transportation, and also to berendered reversible, so that file can be adjusted to any corner of aroom.

As shown, the bottom edges of the back 3 and sides 4 and 5 are insertedin grooves 6 in the base 2, and detachably secured in place by screws orother suitable means, and the sides 4 and 5 are detachably secured tothe back 3 by annular metallic straps 7 and screws 8.

Located and loosely mounted 011 the base 2 are any desired number ofrigid horizontal panels 9, of wood, metal, or other suitable material,having sufficient weight to compress and hold in smooth arrangedposition sheets of music, drawings, papers, or periodicals. The panels 9are normally spaced or separated from each other, so as to receive anumber of sheets or periodicals between them, preferably by means of themetallic supports 10 at their front edge, formed with the flanges 11,clamping and secured to the front edge of the panels by screws orrivets, the vertical and inwardly-projecting L-shaped projection 12, onwhich the forward end of the panel above rests, and theoutwardly-extending L-shaped projection 13, serving as a handle to liftthe panels at their forward end. The supports 10 are also formed withflanges 14 on their face, bent to form top and bottom grooves, in whichare located removable slides 14', each provided with a different title,to indicate the sheets, papers, or periodicals filed or to be filedas,for example, in the case of sheetmusic, having the titles ofdifierentkinds or pieces of music. The bottom panel 9 is provided at itsforward end and on its under side with apair of knobs or supports 15,which rest in suitable socket-plates 16 on the forward end of base 2.

The panels 9 are spaced or separated from each other adjacent to theirrear ends by means of supports 17, equal in height to the supports 10,and preferably consisting of a grooved or gutter-shaped metallic piece18, formed with an L-shaped side 19, which serves as a stop to limit theinward endwise movement of the filed sheets or periodicals.

The grooved piece 1 8 is secured to its panel 9 by means of nails orscrews passing through perforated lips at its ends into the paneL Withinthe grooved piece 18 is located a spring 21, preferably in the form ofan elastic reversed V-shaped strip of metal, having one end fastened inthe grooved piece 18 and its To avoid. wearing the panel the spring 21bears against a plate 21' on the under side of the panel other end freeto slide therein.

above. \Vhen there are no sheets or papers filed between two panels, oronly sheets or papers enough to form a pile as high as the. groovedpiece 18, the upper panel rests at its inner end on the grooved piece18, holding the spring 21 down within the groove, and its. outer endrests on the support 10 at the outer end of the panel beneath. Asadditional sheets are added or a pile of sheets or periodi-' cals islocated between two panels, which; brings the top of the pile above thegrooved piece 18, the panel above is raised by the pile above thegrooved piece 18 and the spring 21 automatically'rises with the panel,

thereby in effect increasing the height of the grooved piece 18,servingas a stop, and pre-.

venting the inward endwise movement of the sheets or periodicals of thepile located above the grooved piece 18, as shown 'in Fig. 2. In orderto hold sheets from endwise movement in either direction where thesheets are so short as not to extend from support 10 to grooved piece18, a second grooved piece 22 and spring 23 may be employed,- as shown,having its ends engaging flanges 24 of strips 25, so as to slidethereon, the ends of the strips 25 being fastened to the panel 9 andextending from the grooved piece 18 to a suitable distance from thelatter toward the front of the panel. By this means the forward groovedpiece 22 may be adjusted in the strips 25 toward and away from the reargrooved piece 18, according to the length of the particular sheetsdesired to be filed.

The lowest grooved piece 18 is located at the proper height to agreewith the height of the supports 15, resting in their plates 16,bymounting it on a cross-bar 26, secured to the base 2;

In order to permit the panels 9 to be raised freely in a horizontalposition, and alsoto be tilted at their rear end when access betweenthepanels is desired, the following construction may be employed: Referringto Figs. 1 and 2, there are mounted on theinside of the sides 4 and 5 aseries of vertical rods 27, of metal or other suitable material,connected at their top and bottom by horizontal plates 28, secured tothe sides 4 and 5 in any suitable manner. The corners of the panels 9are provided with lugs 29, of any suitable form, to project and slidebetween the rods 27.

As shown, the lugs 29 preferably consist of rods 30, bent to form afolded portion, as at 31, through which a screw 32 projects, securingthem to the panel, and an inclined portion 33, with an .end projectinglaterally from the panel and forming a lug 29.

Before the upper plates 28 are placed on the rods 27 and secured inplace the panels 9 are placed in position on the base 2, the lugs 29 ofthe lowermost panel being slid down between the two rods 27 farthestfrom the rear of the base with the panel until it rests on the groovedpiece 18 on the base 2 and its knobs 15 rest in the plates 16. Thesuccessive panels are then similarly lowered into position until eachrests on the support 10 and grooved piece 18 of the panel beneath, thelugs 29 of such panel, which is slightly longer at its rear than thepanel beneath, engaging the next pair of rods 27 toward the back 3.

The rear end of each panel 9 projects slightly beyond its lugs 29, sothat upon a panel being raised at its forward end and tilted its rearend bears on the rear end of the panel beneath and tends to tilt thelatter, thereby aiding in raising and tilting one or more panels.

It will thus be seen that by means of the foregoing construction one ormore of the panels 9 may be raised horizontally and tilted to file orwithdraw or have access to papers, periodicals, sheets, &c.

, To serve as a guide to the panels in being raised and-lowered, theside at is provided with vertical strips 34, againstwhich the panelsbear on one side.

In order to hold one or more of the panels 9 in an inclined or tiltedposition, a supporting-stick 35 is provided, which, whennot in 7.

use, lies on the base 2 at one side, and is held in place by one endinserted in a loop or sleeve 36, secured to the base 2. The ends of thesupporting-stick 35 are preferably provided with knobs or cushions 37,of rubber or other suitable material, to prevent the stick fromslipping, and the flanges 11 on the under side of the panels 9, as wellas a U-shaped plate 38, clamping andsecured to the uppermost panel, areformed with a recess 39, in which an end of the stick 35 is adapted torest.

The uppermost panel 9 is provided with a lifting-ring 39. In lieu of therods 27 and plates 28, a modified form of construction may be employed,as shown in Fig. 6, which consists of a vertical strip 40, about theheight of the sides -:t and 5, and formed with a series of grooves 41 ofdifferent lengths. The strips 40 are secured by screws 42 or otherwiseto the inner face of the sides t and 5, and the groove, and the lugs ofeach successive panel above will rest in the bottom of the succeed.

ing grooves toward the back 3. The grooves 41 are preferably formed withrounded bottoms or lower ends 43, which permit the lugs 29 to turneasily therein when the panels 9 are tilted.

Another modification is shown in Figs. 7

and 9, in which vertical angle-strips 44 are secured to the sides 4 and5 by screws 45 or otherwise, so as to form a single groove 46. In thisinstance the panels 9 are formed with lugs 47 at their rear end,preferably integral therewith, and located and adapted to turn in thegrooves 46 as the panels are tilted.

I11 Figs. 4 and 8 is sh own still another modification similar to thatdescribed in connection with Fig. 6, excepting that the strips 40 areformed with vertical grooves 48, extending from top to bottom thereof.

By means of this invention a cabinet-file is providedwhich is adapted tofit into any angle or corner of a room, and to which ready access may behad to file or remove sheets of music, drawings, unframed pictures orengravings, drawings, papers, and periodicals.

The papers, sheets, &c., may be arranged and sorted between thedifferent panels, and one or more panels easily lifted and held ininclined position while access is had to particular sheets or papers.

The papers, sheets, or periodicals lying between the panels will bepressed compactly by the weight of the panels and will not getdisarranged.

While I have described a specific construction of parts, I do not desireto limit myself thereto, as the parts may be varied without departingfrom the essential features of the invention.

The bearing-ribs on the side of the casing, herein shown and described,are not claimed in this application, the same being claimed in theapplication filed July 20, 1889, Serial No. 318,117.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure byLet-ters Patent- 1. A cabinet-file consisting of a casing and anumber of rigid horizontal panels loosely mounted upon one another inthe casing, with lugs at their rear ends pivotally connecting the panelswith the casing and vertically movable therein, substantially as shownand described.

2. A cabinet-file consisting of a casing formed with a number ofvertical guides at its rear end and a series of rigid horizontal panelsloosely mounted upon one another in the casing, with lugs at their rearends engaging the series of vertical guides, vertically movable thereinand pivotally connecting the panels therewith, substantially as shownand described.

3. In a cabinet-file,a casing consisting of a bottom and three sides,one of which extends partly the length of the casing, the sides beingdetachable and reversible to the opposite end of the bottom,substantially as shown and described.

4. In a cabinet-file, a column of horizontal rigid panels looselymounted upon one another in a casing, of gradually-decreasing lengthfrom top to bottom of the column and having a vertically-slidin g,pivoted, or hinged connection at one end with the casing, substantiallyas shown and described.

5. In a cabinet file, a number of horizontal rigid panels looselymounted upon one another in a casing, with vertical spacing-stops attheir front and rear ends, and at one end a vertically-sliding, pivotal,or hinged connection with the casing, substantially as shown anddescribed.

6. In a cabinet-file, a number of horizontal rigid panels looselymounted upon one another, and having a vertical spacing-stop at theirfront end and a vertical spacing-stop at their rear end, with anautomatic spacingextension, substantially as shown and described.

7. In a cabinet-file, a number of horizontal rigid panels looselymounted upon one another and having vertical spacing-extensions, one ofthe stops being adj ust-able towardthe other, substantially as shown anddescribed.

8. In a cabinet-file, a number of horizontal rigid panels looselymounted upon one another in a casing and having a verticallysliding,pivotal, or hinged connection at one end therewith, in combination witha detachable snpport for holding two or more panels in tilted orinclined position, substantially as shown and described.

9. A cabinet-file consisting of a casin g open at its top, front, andone side, a number of horizontal rigid panels loosely mounted upon oneanother, having at their inner end a vertically-sliding, pivotal, orhinged connection with the casing, and at their front and adjacent totheir rear ends vertical spacingstops, substantially as shown anddescribed.

10. A cabinet-file consisting of a casing, a number of horizontal rigidpanels loosely mounted in the casing, and having a vertically-sliding,pivotal, or hinged connection at one end with the casing, verticalspacingstops at their front ends, vertical spacingstops with verticalautomatic extensions adjacent to their rear ends, and lifting-handles attheir forward ends, substantially as shown and described.

11. A rigid panel 9 for a cabinet-file, constructed with the support 10at its forward end, formed with the vertical L-shaped portion 12, theplates 11, clamping one end of the panel, the lower plate 11 having arecess 39, the outWardly-projecting handle 13, and the oppositely-bentflanges 14, forming grooves to receive a removable title-plate,substantially as shown and described.

12. A rigid panel 9 for a cabinet-file, constructed with a verticalsupport at its forward end, and a spacing-stop adjacent to its rear endof equal height with the vertical support, and consisting of a groovedplate 17,

' secured to panel 9, and having a reversed V-shaped spring with a looseend mounted therein, substantially as shown and described.

13. A cabinet-file consisting of a casing formed in detachable parts,and having vertical guide-rods on the sides of the casing at its innerend, a number of horizontal rigid panels loosely mounted on one anotherin the casing, and having lugs at their inner ends engaging the verticalrods and free to turn and vertically slide between them, vertical stopsat the forward end of the panels, with lifting-handles, and recessedplates on the under side of the panels, spacing-stops with automaticvertical spring-extensions adjacent to the rear end' of the panels, anda detachable supporting-stick with its ends adapted to engage therecessed plates and hold in inclined position one or more panels,substantially as shown and described.

' JOHN' MUHLHAUSER.

Witnesses:

EDWARD W. CODY, EDGAR TATE.

